According to this week’s sales figures American Idol runner-up Crystal Bowersox has eclipsed winner Lee DeWyze in album sales this week. Crystal released her debut Farmer’s Daughter on Dec. 14, while DeWyze released Live it Up on Nov. 16. Ouch!

Crystal outsold Lee in their intial frame on the chart selling 58k and 19k respectively. Lee’s on the other hand debuted at a higher position, #19; Crystal debuted at #28.

This week Crystal’s cumlitave sales reach 104k surpassing Lee’s total of 102k. Do not get too excited though. Last year’s runner-up Adam Lambert sold 198k in his first week on the charts. It looks as though Idol will really need to produce a superstar this year in order to stay relevant.

Eminem’s seventh studio album Recovery first topped the Billboard 200 in June, but it seems it may top the charts yet again. Hits DailyDouble is reporting that next weeks charts will be a toss-up between Eminem and current chart superior Taylor Swift. Neither of the releases for these album occured in December or November which shows that 2010 was owned by a few Blockbuster albums rather than many that sold above-average.

Next week’s album charts will be driven by iTunes and other music stores giftcards. The teen market will be in demand, so it is projected that Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Kanye West will occupy spots #3-5 on the albums charts; Bruno Mars and Katy Perry are also expected to rank in high positions.

The biggest star on the planet Katy Perry earned yet another No. 1 single this week on Billboard’s Top Pop Songs. Her song Firework is the diva’s fifth No. 1 on the chart, her first was Hot N Cold back in 2008.
Also on the chart is the Black Eyed Peas’ The Time which enters the Top 10 at No. 10. The song is the bands 10th Top 10 entry on the chart.
Congrats!

Taylor Swift is atop the Billboard 200 this week after sales of her new album Speak Now were at 277,000 an increase from last weeks sales.
Although most industry executives may attribute the increase in sales to last minute Christmas shopping, it may have to do with the amount of MP3 players and iTunes giftcards found under the tree.
Susan Boyle’s The Gift was at No. 2 and Glee’s The Christmas Album was at No. 3.
Jamie Foxx’s The Best Night of My Life was the highest new release of the week; it debuted at No. 6.
Later on the list was Keyisha Cole’s Calling All Hearts which debuted at No. 9 with 128k albums sold, and Keri Hilson who opened at No. 11 with 104k copies of her new album No Boys Allowed.
Those are good numbers for Hilson whose last album opened with 96k.
Thoughts on this week’s charts?

Pink reached #1 on Billboard’s Adult Pop Songs this week with her new song Raise Her Glass. This is her fourth #1 on the chart surpassing Katy Perry for the most female #1s.
Pink now is tied with Daughtry, Matchbox 20, Rob Thomas, and Train for the most times at #1.
Pink is now an expectant mother, you can see a picture of Pink’s baby bump…and her in a panda hat above.
Looking good P!

Katy Perry has had three consecutive singles from the same album reach number one, but the news gets even better! Katy Perry’s Firework will be spending a third week at the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100. She really is on top of the world! Congratulations!